After the successful harvest of the first greenhouse crop of winter-produced peppers using LED lighting technology in Canada, Sollum Technologies is pleased to announce an agreement for the expansion of its smart lighting solution in Allegro Acres’ facilities. In addition to the initial four acres of greenhouse LEDs installed in 2020, Allegro Acres is deploying Sollum’s LED lighting technology across an additional eight acres, bringing the total deployment to 12 acres.
The decision followed Allegro’s successful cultivation of red, yellow, and orange commercial-grade peppers during this past winter. During the first deployment, the grower took advantage of the flexibility offered by Sollum’s cloud-based Sun as a Service platform to experiment with different light recipes, compare yields, and determine the best option for their production. According to Gene Ingratta, President of Allegro Acres: “Not only can we personalize the recipe, but we can also adjust our greenhouse lighting in real-time according to climate conditions and our observations of crop growth. By annualizing our pepper production, we realized that the possibilities afforded by Sollum’s technology are a game-changer for us. We look forward to increasing our production thanks to technology made in Canada, which will enable us to supply Canadians with fresh, locally grown peppers year-round. These are exciting times for Allegro.”
The Allegro Acres expansion represents a significant milestone for Sollum Technologies. “That Allegro Acres decided to increase the deployment of our technology after this winter’s first crops is a strong vote of confidence,” said Sollum CEO Louis Brun. “Sollum's approach and its smart LED lighting solution are unique, so it has been tremendous to work closely with Allegro and leverage their full potential at scale. We are proud to be contributing to the deseasonalization of production and this announcement is a big step toward the adoption of more sustainable food production practices. It contributes to increasing Canadian food autonomy and promotes local economies.”
This project is supported through the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative, a cost-share program funded by the Ontario Government and delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council, on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Sollum Technologies